David b



D. R. HOLDEN.

FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTERL APPLICATION FILED 050.15. 1913.

1,1 93,547. Patentd Aug. 8,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I BYOQ mPNyYiNfOR ATT Y5 n. R. HOLDEN.

FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15. 1913.

1 1 93.,5%7 Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENR TTY s barren srarns mam earn.

DAVID It. HOLDEN, OF EIEORIA, ILLINOIS.

, FERTILIZER-DISTRIBUTER.

. To all whom it may concern iii,

in practice within the scope of the claims Be it known that I, DAVID R. HOLDEN, citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fertili'zer-Distributers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fertilizer distributers, and has for its principal object the provision of such a device which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

A further object is the provision of such a device which spreads the material freely and evenly over the field discharging the same without lumps and at any desired rate.

Another object is the provision in such an apparatus of means whereby the rate of discharge may be readily controlled.

To the accomplishment. of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the construction, combination, andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which show for the purpose of illustrative disclosure, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that changes may be made without digressing from my inventiveidea.

In the drawings: Figure 1 represents a transverse sectional view of a device constructed .according to my invention. Figs.

. '2, 3, and 4 are views in end and side elevation and bottom plan of a section of the hopper bottom. Figs. 5 and 6 are views in side and end elevation of one of the plates for supporting the lid and extension members. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a device constructed according to my invention,

part being shown in longitudinal section.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan View of the. same. 'Fi 9 is a detailed view of thehin'ge and di erent positions assumed by the lid and extension members.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1' designates the body or hopper of the device which includesthe inclined front and rear members 2, the end members 3, the

' lower beams or supporting members 4, and

the bottom 5. The front and rear members Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed December 15, 1913. Serial No. 806,749.

shape, having the laterally extending side flanges 9, which rest on the cut-out portions 10 of members 4 and are thereby heldin 6 position. The ends of each section are correspondingly offset and provided with shoulders as shown at 11 and 12, so that the sections fit together or interlock to form a continuous bottom for the hopper. Each, 7 section is provided with the plurality of discharge apertures 13 in the form of elon ated slots between which is positioned the ownwardly extending flange or member 14, which is provided with a substantially hori- 7 zontal slot 15, which is adapted to receive the controlling valve bar or member 16, the latter being adapted to be moved transversely across said apertures 13 to control the size thereof and thus control the discharge of 8 material from the hopper. This bar or. member 16 extends entirely across this device-and has a plurality of links 17 pivotally connecting it' with one of said members 4, so that as the bar is moved longitudinally, s it will be moved transversely across said apertures 13, due to its pivotal connection. The levers 18, each having a dog 19 to en gage segment 20 on the front member of the hopper, provide the operating members for 9 said bar or member 16, these levers being pivoted to one of the members 4, as at 21, and having a vertically extended slot 22 therein, through which passes the pin or projection 23 which is provided in the end of 9 the bracket or member 24 which is secured to, the bar or member 16. This pin or projection 23 also passes through the slot 25 in the bracket or bearing member 26, as

. shown in Fig. 7. It is obvious that by mov- 1 ing said levers 18, the bar or member 16 will be moved longitudinally, and due to the link connection with the bar or member 4, will be moved transversely relative to the apertures 13 so as to control the discharge 1 of material .therethrough.

The end members 3 are castings, the upper edges of which converge upwardly and which have bearings 27 in their lower portions to receive the shafts or axles 28 to which are keyed the supporting wheels 29. The inner ends of these shafts or axles 28 rest in the bearing sleeve 30 formed in the casting or member 31 which is in a medial position in said hopper. These shafts support and drive the agitator members which include the sleeves 32 having the radiating arms 33 with the sockets 34 provided in their outer'ends. The sockets 34 of the intermediate sleeves open out of the outer edges of the arms as shown, while the sockets 34 of the end sleeves do not. In these sockets are positionedbars 35 which are substantially square in cross-section with one edge projecting out of the sockets 34 so as to press upon and grind the material in the hopper. The-sleeves are secured on said shafts 28 so as to hold the agitator members in position and the arms are of such length as to locate the bars 35 very close to the inside of the bottom of said hopper so;that the material will be thoroughly agitated and ground before its discharge from the hopper.

I also provide an improved advantageous form of lid and extension members. These members 36 are hinged to the front and rear members 2 of the hopper asshown in detail in Fig. 9, each hinge including the brackets or lugs 37 secured to the side members 2 and lid and extension members 36 having their end portions offset and formed with spaced cars 38, between which ears the link 39 is pivotally secured, thereby connecting each pair of lugs 37 with a loose hinge connection. By this construction it is seen that the lid and extension member 36 may be letdown, as indicated in dotted lines at A, Fig. 9, may be used as a lid to close the hopper, as indicated in dotted lines at B, or may be used to extend the sides of the hopper and increase its capacity, as shown at full lines at C. In order to support the lid and extension members 36 in this latter position, I provide the end castings or plate members 40 which are in the form of plates having their lower edges 41 inclined to fit the top edge of the end members or castings 3 and having the interior lug 42 and exterior lugs 43 offset so as'to fit over said end members 3 and lock the castings or plate members in position thereon. At each side are provided a pair of spaced flanges 44 to provide guide-ways to receive the ends of the lid and extension members 36, whereby these members 36 are securely held in their extended position.

The end castings or members 3 and intermediate casting 31 are provided with the supporting lugs or brackets 45 which are adapted'to receive and support the sieve or screen 46 so that the material used may be screened. To complete the illustrative disclosure, I show the tongue 47 and the seat 48,

these parts being of substantially the usual construction.

' It is obvious, therefore, that I have provided an apparatus which is simple in construction, being cheap to manufacture and composed of few parts, rendering its assembling-a simple proposition. Simple means are provided for adjusting or controlling the rate of discharge and an advantageous means is provided for utilizing the lid members as'extensions to increase the capacity'of the hopper. This device distributes the material evenly over the field so as to se ure equal fertilization.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a fertilizer distributer and in combination, a hopper having a plurality of discharge openings in its bottom and also a plurality of depending projections extending therefrom, each of said projections having an elongated slot therein, and an agitator in said hopper, means for regulating the discharge through said openings including a bar passing through said slots, links pivotally connecting said bar to said hopper, and means for moving said bar longitudinally of itself whereby due to its link connection, it is moved across said discharge openings.

2. In a fertilizer distributer, and in combination, a hopper comprising front and rear members, end members, bottom beams for supporting said front and rear-members, a bottom for said hopper comprising sections, each section being curved in crosssection and having laterally extended flanges adapted to rest on said bottom beams, said sections having offset. portions and corre sponding shoulders in each end whereby they fit together to form a continuous bottom with a smooth inner surface.

3. In a fertilizer distributor, and in combination, a hopper having bottom beams, and a bottom for said hopper comprising sections, each section being curved in crosssection and having-laterally extended flanges adapted to rest on said bottom beams, said sections having ofi'set portions and corresponding shoulders in I each end whereby they fit together to form a continuous bottom, each section having discharge openings therein and having a projection provided with an elongated slot, and transversely movable means passing through said slots to regulate said discharge openings.

4. In combination,.in a fertilizer distributer, a hopper comprising front and rear members, end members engaging the ends of said front and rear members, a bottom for said l'l( pper having a plurality of discharge openings therein, means'for regulating said openings, inwardly extendinglugs on said end members, and a screen supported on said lugs, said lugs being located intermediate 7 the upper and lower edges of the end memlug extending downwardly from its under bers so that the screen is supported in a porside having an elongated slot vtherein. 10 tion removed from the upper edge of the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hopper. in presence of two Witnesses.

5 5. As an article of manufacture, a hopper DAVID R. HOLDEN.

bottom section curved in cross-section, hav- Witnesses: ing discharge openings therethrough and a GEORGE T. BEAN,

laterally extending flange on each side and a F RANGES MAYNARD. 

